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[ohallahan]

What model of dvd drive?

The pcb board could be bad

I've seen each of the different dvd drive models have bad pcb boards

[fallenangle]

"Bad" in what way?

Component failure? Trace corrosion? If the latter, where exactly?

I ask because I'm wondering if the problem might also apply to the trouble I've had a with a Xbox Samsung DVD drive which randomly ejects ie. won't stay closed. Once the disc is spinning and being read there is no problem, the Xbox works perfectly, it's getting it to stay closed in the first place.

After quite some time in storage I recently tried using it again and found the problem had returned,

I swapped in another Xbox Samsung DVD drive and that didn't exhibit the same issue. That appeared to confirm what I'd thought: the problem is with the other DVD drive unit itself, either mechanical or electronic.

It was dismantled, nothing appeared to be broken, then cleaned, lubricated and the drive belt reconditioned yet again. However after putting it back together the problem remained. That suggests the fault is electronic but I'm lost as to where to look and what to look for.  
 
Any suggestions appreciated.

[ohallahan]

Sorry, I can't be of much help. I never messed with repairing the pcb's.

I have had all the same issues with each different drive model.

The Philips 6011 are notorious for bad pcb's.

I have a whole box of dvd drives that are bad.

It never was really worth my time to try, I just throw them on ebay and get rid of them.

The problem with the samsung opening and closing could be the drive belt, I've had that happen before

the belt you need is a SBS 2.9, that's what I use, some of the cheaper belts you see are just rubberbands
if it's too tight or too loose it'll do the opening and closing thing

You can pick up dvd drive replacements on ebay for around $30

Sorry I can't be of more help

[fallenangle]

Thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately I'm pretty sure it's not a drive belt issue, I've posted here about how to deal with such problems myself so I'm quite familiar with the matter.
 
Such drive belt fixes that have worked well for me with tray drawers that stick closed have proven not to work with this particular re-opening disc drive problem.

The touble with buying a replacement disc drive is not getting hold of one but the cost. For only a little more you might as well buy a whole new working Xbox. That's exactly what I did. Of course I'm still left with the original unresolved problem.

[fallenangle]

Just a quick update on the tray drawer randomly ejecting issue.

I've taken the troublesome drive out again and given it a through cleaning, re-lubrication and reconditioned the drive belt once more. Whatever I did definitely reduced the frequency of the problem so I'm now back to thinking it is a mechanical matter.

When I took off the caddy and case what I examinined how it worked under power. When the laser carriage rises the laser saddle in its default position moves very slightly forwards towards the centre of the disc (if it was there).. The disc spindle rotates up to speed and the laser turns on to try and read it. With nothing there, the disc stops spinning and laser turns off.

However on the occassions the tray drawer re-opens the laser saddle doesn't seem to make that slight movement forwards into quite the same position or doesn't do it at the right point in the sequence.

That suggested to me either the saddle was sticking on the rails or the worm drive (underneath). I cleaned both, removing small but maybe significant amounts of compacted fluff/dust from the centre spindle ends and re-lubricated the worm drive.

When I turned the power on again the tray drawer re-opening pronblem had clearly improved. Whether it was this or some other part of the disassembly and cleaning there's no way to knowing. It isn't cured 100% but it is behaving itself far better now.

I'm going to check it regularly and if it is still OK or there's been any deterioration again I report back here.